Accused basketball player decries treatment by school, police

University of Minnesota freshman forward Royce White said he is withdrawing from school this week because of frustrations from being charged with three misdemeanor counts of trespassing.

White, who pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment Monday, said he hasn't felt safe on campus since being named a suspect in the theft of a laptop from Territorial Hall in November. University Police sent the case to the Minneapolis city attorney's office, but White was not charged with theft.

"Why am I withdrawing from school? Because I don't feel like I'm protected by the school or police," White said by telephone Monday. "I feel very threatened by the police. I felt very threatened by the officer today at the court room."

White was allowed to return to practice a week ago because Gophers coach Tubby Smith and athletics director Joel Maturi said he had done a good job of conducting himself in school and away from the team. But Smith and Maturi said White's return from suspension had no timetable.

"I want to play for the Gophers, but I'm not being allowed to play for the Gophers," said White, who was first suspended for a shoplifting incident at Macy's at Mall of America on Oct. 31. "I want to play, but I don't want to sit down on campus and be at the will of the (University Police). I don't feel comfortable staying down here to put myself at risk for another incident.

"(Maturi) also made it clear that me not stealing the laptop wasn't enough for me to play after two months of me sitting out.

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He made it clear to my attorney that until this whole thing was over, I wasn't going to be allowed to play."

Maturi denied White's accusation. "Royce was allowed to return to practice. His future playing status was to be determined by his actions on and off the court. No one stated he would not play this year."

White told the Pioneer Press he would continue to fight the charges at his next court appearance on Feb. 9. He doesn't plan to transfer to another university. He said he is putting his basketball goals on hold to focus on clearing his name and furthering his business ventures, which include a club promotion and music production company.

On Nov. 7, the night the laptop was stolen from a dormitory, White was among a group of males identified by witnesses as entering dorm rooms without permission, according to a complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court.

White, who never has lived in Territorial Hall, told University Police investigators that he was in the dormitory on the date of the incident. White said he goes there to introduce himself and meet people.

"We all thought it was going to be cleared up today," White said. "But I told the people that I didn't want to plead guilty again, because I don't think I'm guilty. It's not justice. There's a point in life when you have to stand up for something. I'm not pleading guilty for something that students do on campus every day."

University Deputy Police Chief Chuck Miner said it is common for students to frequent the dorm rooms of one another, but he said the behavior listed in the complaint wasn't typical for students.

"With their companions and people that they know there's sort of an unwritten agreement that you can come into my room," Miner said. "But these young ladies White had never met before. He was a complete stranger to them."

White also said he thought University Police cars had been circling around his house near campus for the past couple days. He said he didn't know why.

"There's no reason why we would need to continue to follow him," Miner said. "That's not something that we're doing or at least there's no directive to do that or anything. I don't know why that would happen."

The Gophers (13-8, 4-5 Big Ten Conference) could have used White's inside presence and scoring ability this season. But Smith said Monday on the league teleconference call that he did not expect White to play this season.

"I assume if he said that (he's withdrawing), then I guess that's what he's going to do," Smith said. "Whatever he decides to do, we want to wish him the best."

White said he hasn't spoken to Smith about his decision to leave or about asking to be released from his scholarship, but he planned to do that soon.

After returning to practice, White said he thought he would get a chance to help the team finish the season strong, but that never happened. He doesn't think he will ever play for the Gophers.

"I don't think they will ever have me back," said White, who said he felt very emotional about his decision. "I was practicing again, and I was looking forward to helping the team out. My teammates embraced me like I was a brother who had been gone for a while. I still have much love for them."